Any Experience with Mermaid Manufacturing?

Greetings all. I am shopping to replace our rear 16,000 btu split unit with a self contained unit. I seem to remember reading favorable reviews on the forum a while back. Any suggestions ??

Steve, going to the boat show? Maybe they will have some vendors. I'll be there looking around. Paul

swampu said:

Steve, going to the boat show? Maybe they will have some vendors. I'll be there looking around. Paul

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Hey Paul, I was going to PM you earlier and couldn't figure out how now that I'm using the app and not Safari!! We took in the vendors yesterday evening and didn't see anything AC. Lots of great engine reps there, Cat, Deere, etc. There is a Bushnell booth and the have a great deal on a pair of auto focus nocs for a little over $225. And free floating key chains everywhere in every color. I had a pocket full! We are staying at The Courtyard across the street, but have to go back to the boat today before we leave for home. I will give you a call when there in case you are still around and we can meet up.

I installed two Mermaid package units when I finished building my boat in 2007: One 12000, one 6500. They have been very good. They use a household thermostat, and one died, replaced with Home Depot type for like 40bucks. I like not having some sooper digital fantastick whizbang type control that costs big time when it poops.

Units are reasonably quiet. The 6500 is under my bunk and I can sleep right over it. Only complaint is the contactor makes a pretty loud click when it starts the compressor. Not a big deal.

I have not had any contact with the company since, but if they are still in business and making units, I'd recommend them.

I had the 9000 in my last boat. Never had a problem with it. Only comment was concerning the thermostat. My new t-stats are programmed to briefly reverse the cycle after running for a long time in cooling mode, to prevent icing. Maybe Mermaid does that now too.

Sounds like a good move guys. Hey Paul, I enjoyed seeing you and yours at the Boat Show. Keep us posted on Rose!!

I have a very positive opinion of Mermaid. I have 3 of their AC units and an icemaker. I replaced an old CruiseAir 16 with a Mermaid 12...same cool, same heat. All stainless, easy install.

Thanks Rich. I called their business line Thursday and a real lady answered the phone (already impressive). She put me on hold till Dennis could pick up. He sounded slightly busy- but still didn't mind answering a few questions. Apparently he handles sales and technical. I'm gonna go with the Mermaid. Should place the order in two weeks. I do want to try to get an installation manual so I can plan on changing some of my ductwork if needed to have the suggested square inches of venting.

To me the big question is will you need heat , and how cold does the local water get in winter?

IF the answer is COLD , perhaps the Mitsubishi mini split would be a better choice for many boaters.

Air unit so no problem with leaking circ pumps or jellies in the sea water inlet.

If you winter in a marina where there are electric meters , cutting the winter bill by 4/5 might sound good.

Hey FF
Heat. Yes. Front air is also in place so gonna stay with same style.

One thing I forgot to mention: I have one of their 12 units with "strip" heat (not reverse cycle heat). The reverse cycle heat puts out much more heat compared to the strip heat unit. However, on the Gulf Coast it's enough for me on that unit. If it was your only source of heat, I would go with reverse cycle. However, the strip heat does have some advantages: I was up in the boat yard for much of this last January and February. The strip heat does not need water flow so I was able to keep the boat warm inside.

I love my Mermaid 16,500 unit. So much, I'm about to order another one to replace my defunct 25 year old unit. 5 year warranty too.

These guys must make an awesome unit with so many favorable responses. I believe Cruise Air and Marine Aire maybe are all part of the Dometic group now?? I installed a new Tundra T80 (Dometic) fridge years ago and was never happy with it. Glad to see someone in the states filling the AC market needs so thoroughly.

Regarding heat, both my Mermaids have froze up running in heat mode with sea water in the low 40's. That's about the limit for most all reverse cycle marine units. I also found if I start the unit, let it run about 15min, then turn it off and leave pump on (I added a switch to do this), then restart unit about 15min later, it won't freeze up even down around 40F water temp. The icing seems worse when unit first starts up, this gets you through it. I run a lot in the winter, so have a good amount of experience with these things in heat mode.

Above about 45F water temp, no issue with heat at all.

And these things make real heat. Plenty warm. Not like the "cold draft pump" in my house.

Anyone know if they have a fan speed control option? My 12k in pilothouse works great, but moves a lot of air and flow noise is pretty high at the louver. I'd like to slow the fan on low demand times. I'll check the site.

Installed their 16,500 unit 18 years ago, first unit failed 1 week in, they shipped another right to me, dropped the defective one in the box and shipped back, never had a problem with the replacement unit. They were very good to deal with.

OK Crew, time and budget finally cooperated, and I installed a new M16 unit with reverse cooling. I first removed the OLD Marine Air 16k btu split unit, afterwards I cut and installed a new 3/4" plywood base and secured to the original locker floor. The Mermaid rests on top of a very thick rubber pad that isolates vibration. New cooling hoses and wiring to twin AC/ one pump relay box and I was ready to drop the new unit in. During shipping my unit had a small bit collateral damage that resulted in several bent evaporator fins. I carefully straightened these and then dropped this heavy rascal in the home. The stated dimensions are slightly off on the length (L - 19.75", W - 13.5", H - 13.75"), due to the overhang of the base by the blower housing. These units come with the electric box you see in the picture- connection from here to the unit is by a pre made cable with a latching plug. I would have mounted this box higher, but unfortunately the original supply wire from the breaker only had this much length. After attaching in/out cooling lines, power from breaker, power to the pump relay box and wiring in the four wires for the thermostat I was done. The AC unit comes with a "washable/ reusable" filter that is held with Velcro in front of the evaporator which I did use, but my primary filtered air approach was to use insulation strips around exterior door, secure "porch screen" on the inside of the door opening, and I also bedded all wiring and hoses in silicone as they went through the locker wall. The unit fired right up and cooled fine. Sorry- apparently I didn't grab any pictures showing the 4 and 6 inch ducting. 6 inch went to Saloon and 4" feeds the aft cabin. When I get back to the boat hopefully I can get the programmable thermostat set!



Present 42 Sundeck

Greetings,
Mr. F. Do the fish go inside the unit or in the ducting somewhere and does the species matter. Those seem to be trout of some sort. Will catfish or brim do as well? Are they mounted head first or tail first or again, does it matter?

Thanks RTF! I was hoping SOMEONE would look at the pictures . I actually caught 6 nice speckled trout (live shrimp/ popping cork) during my AC install. Turns out the best place to put them were in the frying pan...


Present 42 Sundeck

Nice install and good catch! Now you can be cool and eat your fish!

Ok next time invite us for dinner and we will help with the install

Thanks for the offer guys- and I could use the help. This took WAY longer than I planned!


Present 42 Sundeck

This took WAY longer than I planned!

Boat repair, 90/90 rule,

90% of the work takes 90% of the time

the remainder of the work also takes 90% of the time.

Is the A/C outlet attached to some ducting?

Capt. Bill11, it is. I didn't realize after the install I didn't take any pictures of it. Dennis at Mermaid said that the one short 6" run to the saloon and a 4" dedicated to the aft cabin would work fine (though their literature stated I would need more square inches). We went back to the boat last Friday evening and never could get it cooled down. I had pulled the "bra" the prior weekend and dropped it off as a sample to have a new one made that also will have a more efficient sunblocker screen. The old Cruise Air unit seemed to cool the boat fairly well when charged, but the new unit did not get it done. Even on Friday and Satirday night.
I checked the temperature differential, and we are dead on at 20 degrees. The evaporator is sweating and condensation is in the pan.
The temperature last weekend hit the low 90's- and the humidity was over 70% much of the time. So Monday I talked to Dennis again and when the bra gets installed and the humidity drops we will reevaluate.
Presumably the heat from the sun (radiant??) through the front three windows and the front two side windows is really a major problem. And possibly the "bra" creates an air space between the screen and the glass which acts as an insulator?? I sure hope so- and hope to get this girl comfortable after our investment.




1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

Certainly the windshield screen helps greatly in reducing cabin temperature, although at night you should have no problem getting down into the 60's, if not might be too large of an area for even one 16K unit. Might want to get an AC guy in and just check the pressure levels on the unit, maybe a little shot of Freon would help (just throwing out idea's, not necessarily good ones!)

That's what I was sorta thinking too- actually we have a front 16k unit as well. I picked up the cover today and will install snaps and install this weekend I hope.


1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

Greetings,
Mr. F. Maybe you need one of these...

The 12 in my pilothouse will not overcome the solar heat coming in the glass in mid day. But it chills it right down if there is no solar. I sized it on the small size on purpose, and that shows up in mid day. Still cools it enough to take the edge off.

The 12 in my pilothouse will not overcome the solar heat coming in the glass in mid day.

Outside snap on window covers ??

Awning?

It's where I pilot from, so the glass needs to be unubstructed. As long as I get a cool breeze and lower humidity, I'm happy. No need for it to be kept at 74F constantly. And if I'm moving, I usually run with sliders open and AC off. I don't spend much time inside the boat unless moving, or sleeping. Completely happy with the 12 in pilot house and 6.5 in bunkrooms fwd.